Mexican Actress Nava Mau Makes Emmy History

Mexican actress Nava Mau just made Emmy history by becoming the first Latina trans actress to be nominated.

Latinas keep making history. The latest Latina receiving her hard-earned flowers? Mexican actress Nava Mau made history by becoming the first Latina trans actress to receive an Emmy nomination. 

“We’re going to the Emmys y’all 😭😭😭 I haven’t stopped crying all day. I am humbled and so thrilled for everyone nominated,” she wrote online. “One day I will catch up to this reality. For now, thank you to the @televisionacad for this incredible honor. I’m at a loss for words, THANK YOU ❤️‍🔥.”

Mau’s performance in Netflix’s British dark drama series 'Baby Reindeer' earned her an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The Latina actress plays Teri, the main actor’s trans girlfriend, who gets caught up in his stalker drama. 

'Baby Reindeer' became a viral hit and received 11 nominations. The series Jessica Gunning – who plays the aforementioned stalker – also received a nomination in the same category as Mau. Other nominees include Dakota Fanning ('Ripley'), Lily Gladstone ('Under the Bridge'), Aja Naomi King ('Lessons in Chemistry'), Diane Lane ('Feud: Capote vs. The Swans'), and Kali Reis ('True Detective: Night Country').

Before 'Baby Reindeer', Mau starred in the HBO Max series 'Generation' (2021) and worked on the production side of the Netflix documentary 'Disclosure' (2020). Besides working in film, she spent eight years in cultural change and political education as a legal assistant and peer counselor advocating for LGBTQ survivors of violence.

Mau was born on May 14, 1992, in Mexico City, Mexico. She was raised in San Antonio, Texas, and Oakland, California. She has a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics and cognitive science from Pomona College.

Follow Mau’s work on her social media.

The 76th Emmy Awards will broadcast live on September 15 via ABC at 8 p.m. EST from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, CA. It will also be available for streaming the next day (September 16) on Hulu.